At 91, Italian filmmaker Lina Wertmüller has enjoyed a recent surge of appreciation following the release of the 2015 documentary portrait Behind the White Glasses. The doyen of 1970s arthouse cinema, the restlessly brilliant Wertmüller made distinctive, sometimes shocking films that angered some feminist quarters while winning over others. Gwen Deglise and Chris LeMaire of the American Cinematheque have compiled a two-evening series beginning on Sunday that showcases some of the auteur’s best work, beginning with a double feature of The Seduction of Mimi and Love & Anarchy. Both feature her favorite actor, Giancarlo Giannini, a brilliant comic whose presence helped catapult Wertmüller’s films to international recognition. The director is scheduled to appear in person on the 25th to close out the retrospective.

Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; Sun., Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m.; $12. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalenda

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